Dr. Martens Celebrates 10 Years of the Jadon Boot — Here’s Why It’s a Combat Boot for the Ages.
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Dr. Martens is commemorating a decade of the iconic Jadon boot and its impact on culture as a landmark of youthful rebellion and bold authenticity. The brand takes its cult following on a walk down memory lane with a new short culture film titled “The Story Of The Jadon Boot: 10 Years,” which tracks the shoe’s trajectory from its alternative roots to its mainstream allure in fashion. Jadon boots are no basic combat boots – the style is the epitome of supreme construction with a touch of timeless angst.
The genesis of Dr. Martens dates back to World War II, but it wasn’t until 1960 when its first manufactured boot, called the 1460, made waves in the UK, establishing signature brand motifs of yellow stitching and AirWair soles. The boots became known as a rebellious trademark and emblem of cacophonous expression in the punk movement of the ’70s and through the grunge styles of the ‘90s.
As a timeless statement shoe, Dr. Martens combat boots marked cultural progression, within social movements and alternative music, and became an archival reference point for re-emerging trends in the next century. “It’s just so synonymous with youth culture,” says Canadian photographer Tommy Ton in the film. “Instant cool if you had a pair on.” As Dr. Martens expanded its styles, the historied spirit of the shoe followed suit.
In 2013, Dr. Martens embarked on a mission to create a shoe that incorporated the DNA of the original 1460 boot, while forwarding its story through fearless design evolution. “People were starting to dress a little bit more extreme,” said Damien Wilson, who was Dr. Martens’ creative director from 2013 to 2022. “One thing I saw at the time was a kind of fusion between what was going on in the fashion world and what had been going on in the alternative world.” The Jadon boot was born with a bold Quad platform sole that elevated the combat boot style to an indomitable silhouette. These iconic Dr. Martens boots were beloved by only those who dared to stomp to new heights of punk-inspired styling, particularly during the grungy mid 2000s movement we now refer to as “indie sleaze.”
Top model Agyness Deyn personified the aesthetic of the early 2010s, where she was “a bit punk, a bit rock, a bit aristo,” said Filipino blogger Bryan Yambao, A.K.A Bryan Boy. “The Jadon boot is as iconic as her.” Deyn was one of the first trendsetters to style combat boots in haphazard and effortlessly genius ways, whether with a party dress or a House of Holland slogan tee. Deyn used the stoic boot to express her authentic, dauntless perspective — exemplifying and repackaging the very sentiment that colored Dr. Martens’ rich history in a modern era. Along the same time the Jadon boots were in development at Dr. Martens, Deyn’s first collection with the brand was in the works. The creative parallel proved to be the perfect storm, as her collaboration introduced the Quad sole in four striking silhouettes and catapulted the chunky platform into the Dr. Martens universe.
As social media flourished in the 2010s, Docs began to circulate on blogs and off-center Tumblr feeds, and Jadon boots became an underground sensation for tapped-in fashion fiends. The trend seemingly trickled up to mainstream tastemakers in the latter half of the decade. By 2019, Jadon boots were seen on ‘It’ girls such as Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Miley Cyrus, and Hailey Bieber, all of whom styled the boot in their own unique way. Celebrity sightings not only put Jadon on fashion’s radar, but also displayed its organic versatility across aesthetics and cultural associations. A new generation witnessed Jadon’s presence as the shoe of the people, for the people.
Jadon plodded from the streets to the runways in the early 2020s, as featured in a range of fashion shows that celebrate iconic identity, such as Jonathan Cohen fall 2020, Savage X Fenty spring 2021, Private Policy fall 2023, and Vogue’s ‘Vogue World’ 2023 presentation, to name a few. Also in 2020 and 2021, Dr. Martens and Hello Kitty teamed up in a limited-edition design of the Jadon boot that merged the style’s punk persona with the adorable iconography of the universal feline. In 2020, Dr. Martens also collaborated on a pair of Jadon boots with the alternative clothing brand X-girl in a natural joining of forces that played into both brands’ cultures of rebellious youth and fashionable freedom. Most recently in 2022, Dr. Martens and London jeweler The Great Frog updated the Jadon silhouette with strappy buckles and loud hardware to fuse their respective rock ‘n’ roll influences.
Cultural shifts can be hard to predict as the eras roll on, but you can bet that Dr. Martens’ Jadon Boot will always be at the forefront.
No matter which decade inspires your personal style, a Jadon Boot will always fit. Throughout the 2010s, Dr. Martens combat boot styling expanded beyond tough, dark aesthetics to be paired with juxtaposed feminine silhouettes in the summer time, such as sundresses or slip skirts. Its durable leather dually serves as a boot for the rain or snow, while the rubber traction can hold up against rugged terrain. Jadon Boots are a wardrobe staple that look cool and function well year-round, and once you find your favorite pair, they’ll last you for years to come. In celebration of Jadon’s 10th birthday, shop different styles of the iconic boot below.